After flying solo
by Kirea-K
Summary: That's just a scene between Owen and Cristina after episode 5x18, and how I imagine their meeting that evening might have gone if the writers had given us a scene with them. It's also a little wishful thinking :- And it goes on...
1. After flying solo

This could not be real... she had rocked her solo surgery.... her very first solo surgery.... and she was not feeling high... it was unfair! She should be dancing at Joe's with Meredith, getting completely drunk... and then she should scratch the old itch with Owen, whether he wanted or not. That was the way she had imagined the aftermath of her first solo flight. But for the first time in her life she understood Owen, when he said that surgery and competition was not everything; even Burke had once said that he was a person first, and then he was a surgeon.

Today, Cristina did not feel like a Surgeon; her day had been haunted by her friends. By Izzie being sick, by Alex not knowing about Izzie, and about to hit the ground... and crap, it was not nice being human. How had she come to care about this people so much! It was so much easier to be detached, not to feel about to cry for a bubbly, silly Izzie that used to get on her nerves. This was supposed to be a great day for her, and she didn't care. She wanted to go home, go to sleep and wake up a week ago not knowing about Izzie... if she could, she would erase the last week, and come back to a life where Izzie would still be getting on her nerves with her smile. Even if that meant no solo surgery.

But enough! The only possible way out was forward. So, she stood up, removed her scrubs and got under the shower. For a while, she stood there, feeling the hot water on her face hoping it would rinse the pain. Not moving, not thinking, just feeling... the hot water on her facer would allow her to pretend she had not cried, that the soreness in her eyes was just consequence of the water....

It was late when she left the building. She was leaving alone, since Meredith was going to stay with Izzie a little longer, Alex had conveniently disappeared, O'Malley was hiding in a corner, and Callie was on call for the night. Owen had been on call the previous night, so he had probably left the premises hours ago. She had not seen him after her surgery. Things had developed so fast that she had not had the time to look for him, and now she regretted it. She could indeed have used his broad shoulders. Maybe it was better so. She did not like being weak, and exactly as she could see him, he could see through her. He could tell when she was feeling low. Funny for a guy she hadn't even "had" YET. And the morning conversation with Meredith brought to her face the only semi-smile of the day. Thinking about Owen improved her mood. He had stood by her, even from afar. At first she had been a little pissed when she had not been selected to scrub in the face transplant. She had known Sloan would not select her for his... but Owen selecting Alex again had not made her happy... until she heard Bailey's news, of course. Then she understood that he had not selected her because she had something much better in her plate. They had briefly crossed on the corridor when he was going to the OR with the patient and Karev... and he had looked in her eyes, smiled and silently transmitted his pride to her... and she had understood, and felt warm inside. For a moment in her OR, she had felt disappointed thinking that he was not there to see her. And then, right after telling Alex Bailey about Izzie, already with the scalpel in her hand, she had looked up, to the gallery and had seen him there, standing up in the shadow, looking intensely at her, a proud look and a half a smile on his face. Of course, he had not heard from the Gallery the bomb she had thrown to Alex and Bailey, but he was there for her. He had imperceptibly nodded at her, her eyes had lit up, and she had made the first incision.

Still semi-smiling and with her mind wandering she arrived to her door, to find Owen sitting on her step.... again. But this time in the dark and hidden by a shadow. He looked up at her, and smiled; without moving. "Hi" she said "I thought you had left hours ago, how long have you be sitting here?" He took a second to answer the question, wondering if she would consider him crazy... "Just a couple of hours" and hold her gaze.

God, it was freezing cold, and his buttocks should be numb already from sitting on the stone.... better stop thinking about his buttocks Cristina!!!! So, instead of making any comment about his cold parts, she extended her hand, to help him get up "You should come in; my neighbors are beginning to think you are a stalker...." He did take her hand, but just to caress her palm with his thumb, and, instead of getting up, he attracted her to her lap. "You were amazing today... and I do not just mean the solo surgery" he said in a low whisper by her ear. She involuntary flinched and smiled as his beard tickled the back of her neck. He could not help laughing at her movement. She did relax on his body, and leaned against him, her head resting in the comfortable point where his shoulder and his neck met, his lips by her temple... weird as it was to be sitting like a couple of teenagers at her doorstep, afraid of the parents at home. "I think we should go up to my place" she insisted......

"I am not sure to be able to control myself if we go up Cristina... you are too tempting...." and still holding her in his arms, his fingers intertwined with hers he continued. "I heard about Stevens today, and just wanted to hold you for a while...thought you might be in need of a hug. I wouldn't want you to think that I came here with sex in mind, specially after the day you've had". For a moment they rested like that; and then Cristina, slowly turned in his ams to bury her face on his neck, feeling a deep knot in her chest, that nearly brought tears to her eyes....he was definitely too good and caring for her,incredibly sweet under the rough surface... and then she whispered against his ear. "You know, it is quite insulting that you came here WITHOUT sex in mind.... specially since I have it in mine...."

"Cristina...." he said with a nervous laugh

"Owen...." she answered changing position in his lap to put her forehead against his and her arms around his neck, with a wicked smile. And then he couldn't hold it any longer. He had to kiss her.

It was not a desperate kiss, like the one at Joes. It was passionate, but tender at the same time, charged with all the feelings accumulated in the last months. And then he surprised her... with a swift movement, he passed his arm under her knees and stood up. with her in his arms... without placing his hands anywhere for support! "Amazing legs" she thought with a smile, looking into his deep blue eyes. As he had done when he had found her with the icicle she brought her inside, up to her apartment. And for a moment, she felt better, knowing that Owen would be there to support her whenever she fell.


	2. My Owen morning

Sunlight was beginning to enter through the window when she slowly woke up, slowly because she always needed her 5 minutes to get in touch with reality every morning. And then, when reality begun to sink in, she smiled. She smiled and caressed Owen's head, that was resting in her shoulder. Not that differently from that night a while ago in the on-call room. He was sleeping peacefully and hugging her at the same time. And she could not help smiling... a little more and she would be showing a big teeth smile... Oh God! She frowned, what was he doing her???? she should be careful or she would end up being bubbly as Izzie... But she'd better not think about Izzie right now. Much better to think about Owen and their wonderful night together.

She smiled again, thinking about the conversation with Mer the previous day... so, she had HAD GI Joe.... and how! Had she known it would be that good, she would have jumped upon him on the on-call room ages ago. She kept smiling and caressing his hair until he slowly fluttered his lashes, rubbed his nose against her shoulder, and looked up at her... "morning" she said... "morning" he answered sleepily, a smile in his mouth. And then he kissed her shoulder and relaxed again against her, trying to get 5 more minutes of relaxed sleep.

So, her GI Joe was not an early bird, good, because mornings were not her favorite time either. Today they both were on the evening shift, so they could afford to get a couple of hours of sleep. Well deserved sleep actually, after the long night, she should stop smiling right now... she was not smiley or happy... and did not want to be, actually... So, she closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

It couldn't have been more than 10 minutes until the doorbell rung. Crap! Who could it be. It was her morning off, it was early, and she was happily enjoying her morning sleep; her Owen sleep. Maybe if she ignored it, it would stop... Not a chance, and Owen was already waking up, she hated fate! She did deserve her happy morning.

"Just wait here, whoever it might be, will be gone as soon as I open the door." she told him cranky. "Coming!!! " she shouted to the door, while quickly putting on some underwear, and the first pants and jacket she found on a chair next to the bed. Owen could not help to grin while watching her dress from the bed, still half asleep.

She opened the door really willing to slam it again on the face of the unhappy caller... until she saw it was Mer... no way she would ever be going back to bed.

"Hi, I have been with Izzie all night and I do not feel like going home, or sleeping..."

"Come in"... "bed is not empty but we can use the couch"

"Aaahhhh, so, you finally got your charmed life... cause I am guessing is GI Joe over there..."

"His evil twin actually" was Cristina's smug answer. "And my life would be much more charmed if Izzie had not chosen to get skin cancer this week". Her mood quickly sinking. "How did Izzie pass the night?"

"Sleeping... was quite a boring night actually; I think I was more anxious than she was, and now I am tired". In the meanwhile they both had moved to the couch and covered themselves with the blanked Callie had in the sofa. For a moment none of them moved, and just lay down staring at the wall... Until the sound of the shower came from Cristina's bathroom.

"Sorry Cristina, I didn't want to interrupt, maybe.." Meredith apologized, blushing a little "Don't worry, he'll better get used!" Cristina snapped back, and they both burst into laugh thinking about how Derek had had to get used to Cristina waking him up in her bed. "... just try not to jump into our bed too soon. I do not think he could handle it right now." Cristina continued.

They kept staring at the wall and hearing the shower for the following minutes, there was really not much to tell, Cristina knew that if Meredith had heard from McDreamy she would have already told her. Especially if he was going to perform Izzie's surgery. She hoped he would do it, for there was nobody else she would trust with her friends brain (or her own for the case), than McDreamy; but he was a mess right now. Who knew how it would turn out...

And then, the shower stopped; and she half smiled picturing Owen getting out of her shower, hesitating about what to do. Cristina was sure that he would be pretty uncomfortable greeting Meredith, but also knew that he was not a guy to hide in her bedroom for hours waiting for Mer to leave. Would be interesting to know how he would react... For a moment she thought about going back to the bedroom, explaining, and helping him to decide. But she was actually curious about his reaction. So, she finally smiled and decided not to move.

Meredith looked at her, arched a brow, and said "You are just mean and cruel, you know?"... "Yeah... and you are so enjoying it" Cristina replied.

It took them another 5 minutes to solve the doubt.. when he came out of her bedroom, still barefoot wearing only a T-Shirt and jeans. His hair still wet, looking much younger and relaxed than they had ever seen him. Nearly the same man that took the icicle from her chest some moths ago. Cristina could not help but looking at him, smiling. While Meredith told "Good morning Dr. Hunt". "Morning Meredith... guess you can say Owen when I'm out of the shower. Get used to it", and he smiled at the astonished look on their faces "You were not coming back, were you?" he continued. "Nope" was the only answer he got from a Cristina still in shock.

"Any chance I might find coffee over here?" He continued, amused by their silent reaction. "Guess on the first cupboard over the sink" Cristina managed to say, as he took the task of making coffee by himself. "Guessing you ladies want a cup each?"

Cristina and Meredith did not answer, just nodded with their heads... and then Cristina looked at Meredith and silently mouthed "He is chatty", to which Meredith also mouther "I Know"... and they both remained silent until Owen came back with 2 cups of hot coffee.

"Enjoyable as the company is, I have to go", and with that he took his cup of coffee to the bedroom, to put on his shoes, and get his jacket. After 2 minutes he emerged from the bedroom, put his cup on the dishwasher, and pulled Cristina up from the couch. Cristina still too astonished to speak, while Meredith looked with her brows arched in amazed amusement.

She walked him to the door, under Meredith's gaze. And, after she had opened the door he grabbed her neck and kissed her good morning and goodbye at the same time, the sweetest way she could imagine "Call you later on.. hope I have passed the test...", he whispered still against her lips. "Goodbye Meredith"

And without waiting for an answer from any of them he left, still smiling, leaving both women too surprised to mutter a word.


	3. A chronic disease

He had not felt that happy at least in the last 5 years. The last time he had found himself smiling like that had been during his last trip to Seattle, when he had met her. Nothing else could make him smile like her.

It was a chilly morning, but he felt warm inside, walking towards his truck, still parked in the employee lot at SGH. He would have remained in her bed for a couple of hours, cuddling, but when he heard Meredith in the living room, and knew she was not coming back, he decided to give them some privacy. He had gone to the shower and felt a little embarrassed thinking about his first time there. Well, at least this time he had done everything in the right order... he had gotten into her bed naked... and had not passed out... and now he was getting into her shower without his shoes. "Good, you are improving man" he told himself, a little sarcastically maybe. "keep it this way and you will soon be able to take her out for dinner without embarrassing her", he kept telling himself.

His mind went back to relive the last half hour again... After the shower he had kind of expected her to come in and to discuss whether he should stay, leave, and how. And then she had just overheard Meredith´s comment... "You are mean and cruel"... and he had understood.

She was testing him; seeing how he would interact with her best friend. Maybe she had expected him to be embarrassed about being there. But she was wrong... very very wrong. He did intend to be there for the next 40 years... and he guessed Meredith would be there too, so, they'd better get used to each other, and the sooner, the better.

He had stood up from sitting in the bed, put on a T-Shirt, taken a deep breath, and had left the bedroom with his biggest smile on. She had encouraged him with her warm eyes. No need to say anything, he knew he was doing fine. So, he had greeted Meredith, and had begun making coffee, making himself at home... showing them that he was comfortable, and he did not have anything to hide. He had even told Meredith she should get used to see him after the shower. He had loved how silent and shocked they had remained. He was sure they would spend at least 1h analyzing his every move. Especially the farewell kiss. And he kept grinning all the way to his truck, still daydreaming.

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She had stood there, facing the door for at least 30 seconds... showing Meredith her back.... impolite as it might sound, she was still digesting Owen´s kiss. And smiling.... she could not face Mer with a silly smile on her face. She needed to erase it before facing Meredith.

"Cristina.... Cristinaaaaaa.... Earth calling Cristinaaaa... yuhuuuuuu, you know I am here, don´t you?".

It still took Cristina a couple of seconds to turn around. Already without that silly smile on her face, but still looking in shock.

"Welcome back" Meredith said.

"Meredith... would you be kind enough and kill me?" Cristina asked still in petrified. "Yesterday when I found him sitting in my doorstep, my first instinct was to Key him... and you know I do NOT key men... and I will not Key him..." she went on.

For once, Meredith kept still, grinning happily, realizing for the first time that Cristina was head over heels in love. She had never seen her like that over Burke.

"Seriously Meredith, how bad is this?", she went on, panicked look in her face.

"Oh, very, very bad" Meredith answered, with a burst of laugh... "People call it love, you know, and as far as I know, no definitive cure has been found out... so, just relax, and try to pass it... it's like the flu, best treatment is a week sweating in bed" Meredith teased with a wink.

"Mmmm, that I think I can manage.... problem might be to throw him out of the bed after the week" replied Cristina. "Oh, but you do not throw him out afterwards Cristina.... it just becomes a chronic disease" continued Meredith. And laughed again when Cristina rolled her eyes, and collapsed in the coach by her side.

"By the way" Meredith said "I would wear a turtleneck today to work if I were you". "Mmmm??" was the only sound that accompanied Cristina's puzzled face

"Guess you haven´t seen your neck in the mirror today...". To which Cristina stood up and went to the bathroom. "Crap!" Meredith heard, and burst to laugh....

"Come on Cristina, is not that bad... just looks as if you had been making out with a Cactus"

"Turtle neck it is!" Cristina replied still looking at her neck, and thinking how Owen had kissed her neck. Too much attention and his hard beard had done the rest, it actually didn't feel sore. It was just looking reddish and Meredith was right... looking as if she had tried to make up with a cactus. And she still could help smiling at its sight... that was a very bad sign... yet another symptom of her ailment.

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"Good afternoon stalker" she said when she found him in the nurse's station that afternoon; looking incredibly hot. How could he look hotter than yesterday with the same kind of dark blue scrubs?? Losing her mind, she was freaking loosing it.

"Hi, how is Stevens doing?" He asked knowing her well enough to know that the first thing she would have done was to check on her friend.

"As expected, entering her path through hell... but I don't want to talk about it" He looked deeply in her sad eyes and understood how painful it was for her; that she would not want to let herself feel too much, or she would not be able to hold it together. She needed him to support her, but also to cheer her up.

"Did I do anything wrong?" He asked out of the blue, and she looked at him as if he had asked the weirdest question on earth. "eeehhh?? why would you ask that?" she asked in return.

"Well, you know how I love the back of your neck... and you are wearing your hair loose and a turtleneck..." he teased lowering his voice.

"Do you think that everything I do is related to you?" She retorted "Lovely ego that you have...though actually, THIS is your own fault, you know" she continued... " to use Meredith's words, my neck looks as if I had been making out with a cactus.... so, yes, I do know that you love my neck..." she finished by teasing back.

"Oohh, I... I.. I'm so sorry Cristina" he stuttered, feeling awful at the thought of hurting her in the slightest way "I..I.. I should have thought how delicate your skin is... will never happen again.. promise I will shave fist thing this evening..."

As soon as he begun speaking and apologizing her eyes grew open at the realization that she had made a mistake teasing him about her neck. She should learn to never joke about him hurting her.... He had taken it seriously, when he should have been laughing at it. It was really nothing! So she took her hand and quickly placed it over his mouth to stop his rambling about shaving.

"Shave that thing out and I'll cut my hair so short you will need 3 years to get a decent lock to hold to... you know I love that beard, don't you?" she joked trying to erase the worry and the angst from his face, while she moved her hand to his cheek and caressed her beard... without worrying about being in the middle of the floor for anyone to see, concerned as she was about him.

"It is just a silly rash, sometimes I get it worse from the label of a sweater... should I stop wearing sweaters??.. besides" and she came much closer to his ear, to whisper "I am sure my nails did much more damage into your back last night.." she continued with a wink "...and you can get used to that because I am to keep my nails, you know" And then she just stared at him, trying to hold a smile, while he hold her gaze, his concern gone, just enjoying the rush of emotion warming his chest.


End file.
